Lone Wolf
by StoryWriter96
Summary: along the lines of raised by wolves but with different plot and different characters. not the best at summaries but hope you like it. rated T
1. Chapter 1

"Laylah!" I heard my name called from miles off. I cut back a bark of protest as my father called again. I sniffed the air, catching their scent, and running off into the forest. My paws hit the concrete with a thump, as I landed on the back patio.

"Ah, Laylah finally. It's time for the pack to move," my mother said, walking out onto the patio with a towel and some of my clothes. I rolled my eyes as she held the towel in front of me as I Shifted. You see the thing is, my father was the alpha of the Crystal Ridge Pack and my mother was his Beta. We all had a bond to them, me especially since I was their daughter. We could feel each other at the edges of our mind and feel each other's emotions. We were werewolves. Not the kind that had no control over Shifting, but the kind that had complete control over it. Of course it was always harder to stay human on the night of the full moon, so my father would always gather us for a run.

Since he was the alpha we always had to listen to him. We had to submit to him, the animal part of us made it physically impossible for is to disobey. Now back to the part of where our pack had to move. We've been here for nearly 150 years even though I've only been here for little more than 18 years, I look like I'm 25 and werewolves don't usually age past 25.

I dressed behind the towel as I watched my father load the last of the boxes into the moving truck. "Hey dad!" I yelled, "Do you think I could meet you guys there? I mean, well, all the others are already there, setting up in the woods. So maybe I could run there?" I've always preferred my wolf form over my human one. Although I had super strength and was faster than any other member of our pack I still loved to shed my own skin and just let myself run through the forest.

He sighed, letting his head drop, "Alright Laylah, but make sure you're there in 3 days' time." I let out a squeak of happiness as I threw off my shirt and Shifted again. "Honey, you know I love you," my mom said, kneeling next to me as she dug her fingers into my thick tawny fur. I sniffed the air, breathing in the scent of coming rain. I turned to her, pressing my cheek to hers in an affectionate gesture. I rumbled deep in my throat, licking her face. She giggled as she threw her arms around me.

I wagged my tail as she unwrapped her arms from around me, letting my tongue loll out of my mouth, looking more like a dog than a wolf. She stood up, backing away, waving. I turned tail and ran off into the woods.

I crouched in the bushes, watching the buck graze. My ears twitched as I heard something nearby. I sniffed the air and as I caught the scent of humans, an explosion went off and I jumped out of the bushes as something burned in my hip. I yelped as I landed in the clearing where the buck had been just a moment before. I turned around and saw blood welling in my wound. I had been shot. By a human. I knew werewolves healed quickly but that didn't stop the pain from burning its way through my body. A growl ripped its way from my throat as an old man walked into the clearing. "Dammit," he said, "is this the wolf who attacked your brother?" He lifted his gun again, taking aim at me. A whine made its way out of me before I could stop it. I lifted my paw, taking a step toward him.

"Grandpa, stop!" I curled my lips, baring my teeth as a young boy about 10 years old crawled out from under a bush holding a gun. I pricked my ears, standing taller and stopping the snarl in its tracks. I cocked my head to the side as they exchanged words, "Grandpa, that's not it. Don't kill it. Please, Grandpa," my instincts told me to run, but I knew I wouldn't get far. I could hear more humans making their way through the forest.

"Justin! Justin! Dad! Where are you? I heard, gun shots!" a man in his mid-30's came crashing through the bushes into the clearing. He stopped mid stride, as his eyes rested on me. I could smell his fear as he saw the blood dripping from my injured hip. I lifted my head, sniffing the air. Their house wasn't far from here, and I could smell the faint metallic scent of blood.

A sudden pain shot through my head as I realized the pack was gnashing their teeth at the edge of my mind. They could feel my pain and distress and they wanted it to stop. But they were too far away to pinpoint my actual location. I could feel my father's anger through the bond, forcing a whimper out of me. My mother's worries made their way through my mind, stopping me from running.

I laid down, submitting to the pain and the man standing in front of me. I felt the wound beginning to mend itself, but without the removal of the bullet I would never fully heal. I whined, as the man came closer to me. "This isn't the same wolf. It looks like it but this one has darker fur around its muzzle, eyes, and ears. It's not the same." He shook his head as he kneeled in front of me, "This one doesn't seem aggressive. Just in pain." I gave a little bark, turned and looked at my hip. I could smell all kinds of other animals on him, along with disinfectant. I knew he was a veterinarian. "Justin, help me carry this animal, into the garage. And Dad please put the gun down." He reached for my scruff, tugging on the loose fur, as the boy, Justin, slid his arm under my uninjured hip lifting me with a grunt.

I laid my head on the man's shoulder, sending a silent message to the rest of my pack_. It's alright. I'm alright. _I could still feel their distress in my pain but it began to ebb away. I looked around, as the humans set me down on a bunch of blankets. My amber eyes rested on the young boy's. I stared and stared and he stared right back.

"Daddy," he said, glancing up at his father and tugging on the back of his shirt. "She hurts." He turned back to me, placing his hand on my head. I let my ears flatten against my head as I rested it on his lap. I whimpered as his father, poked around my already closing bullet wound. I shut my eyes as he stuck his tweezers into it and pulled out a large bullet. I gave a small bark as the wound closed, taking the pain with it.

"Dad," He said, "Go check on James while I get a bucket of warm water." Both the men left the room, leaving me alone with Justin. I raised my head, looking at him again. He began to pet my head in a soothing motion.

"I'm going to call you Tawny. Because your tawny," he smiled. I nuzzled his cheek, licking him. I liked this boy, he was…kind. He laughed as I nuzzled him, making me give a throaty laugh that didn't sound at all like a laugh.

The father walked into the room, carrying a bucket of water and a cloth. He eyed me suspiciously. I snorted_, as if I'd hurt the boy_, I thought. He walked behind me, and I followed his every move as he began to wash the dried blood from around my already healed wound.

"Justin," he whispered. I pricked my ears again, listening. "This is amazing; I've never seen anything like it. Come here and look." I sniffed as Justin stood, my head falling from his lap. "Look," he said, "The wound is gone. It's completely healed." I bared my teeth at him as he poked my hip, letting my irritation with him show.

"It's okay, Tawny," Justin said, coming back to me, petting my head.

"You named _her_?" his father asked, "You know, Justin, we can't keep her. She belongs in the wild where she was born."

"I know," Justin said, "But it's nice to name her. She needs a name we can call her by." I nuzzled him, letting him know I approved. "Dad? Can I take her to see James? Please?" he asked. The father sighed, but nodded his head. "Thanks! Come on Tawny I want you to meet my older brother. He got attacked by a wolf about a week ago, but he's finally starting to get better. Maybe you and he could be friends." Justin smiled, standing again. I got up, noticing that I was half his height, I sneezed.

My ears twitched as his father's whispering reached my ears. "That's a big wolf. I just hope that she doesn't scare James too much."

I walked up the stairs behind Justin. My paws scuffed and my claws scraped against the wood, making an odd little melody for what I smelled.

_Lone Wolf._

My instincts screamed at me. I wanted so badly to gnash my teeth at the idea of a lone wolf on old Crystal Ridge territory, but I couldn't in front of Justin. We walked down a narrow hallway, my instincts screaming at me to get away, and as Justin opened the door at the end of the hallway I was very surprised at what I found in there.


	2. Chapter 2

A boy older than me, but not by much, jumped onto my back. I growled, curling my lips in a snarl as his weight pushed me to the floor. _You must be James_, I thought to him. Oh yeah did I mention werewolves could speak telepathically? It didn't just mean we could talk to other werewolves; we could also talk to humans, although it was forbidden.

He stilled, but only for a second before grabbing my muzzle and shoving it to the floor. "Justin, leave. And don't you dare tell Dad anything or else." James said. Justin looked from me, to James then ran out of the room. James shut the door with his foot.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not supposed to be here? And that you aren't just a big wolf?" I could hear a growl making its way out of his throat as I saw his lip curl back._ Get off of me! _I yelled, mentally at him. A low growl escaped him, but he got off my back. I turned around, watching him as I backed toward his bed. I shook myself, preparing to Shift.

He raised his eyebrows as I changed back to a human. My long red hair fell down my bare back as I reached for a blanket. I quickly wrapped myself in it, not wanting his eyes to rest on my naked body anymore.

"Well hi," I snarled, "Thanks for welcoming me into your home. I like your brother much better." I narrowed my eyes as he didn't respond right away.

"What I want you to do is to answer my questions, and why the hell can I smell _everything_? I mean," he sniffed, "You smell like right after it rains and the morning dew. Plus dried blood and gunpowder, but that's kind of faint." He paused as I cocked my head to the side.

"You mean you really don't know?" I asked. He shook his head, his brown hair falling into his eyes. "You were attacked by a wolf right? A really big wolf? Well actually most of us really aren't as large as me and my parents because of course; we're descendants in a long line of…" I stopped realizing my mistake.

"Of what?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. I swallowed, taking a moment to look him over. He was lean, like an athlete, but he was still muscular. He had a large bandage covering a portion of his chest, but other than that all he was wearing were pajama pants.

"Alphas," I finished, "We're werewolves. You are, too. I can smell you and you smell like a threat. You see," I began walking toward him, "Werewolf packs don't appreciate lone wolves on their territory and most lone wolves, especially if they're newly made, can become monsters. Lone wolves need to be claimed by a pack and frankly my father is that big of a claimer." I stood directly in front of him, staring him straight in the eyes. I knew that the wolf in him took this as a challenge.

"Well," he said, his face dropping, "I have no idea how to control myself. I can smell my own brother and to me he smells like meat, along with the rest of my family." He took a step back, averting his gaze.

"I can help you," I told him, "But you'd have to listen to me. And you'd have to leave your family behind because they cannot know what you are. You'll be killed if you tell them, and my father would probably make me do it." He watched me as I sat down on his bed, holding the blanket to my chin. I Shifted, thinking_, so do you trust me_? I stood, the blanket slipping off my sleek body. I gave a high bark jumping off the bed. I made my way to the open window, looking back at him.

_That bandage will keep you from Shifting. It's too tight. _He looked down at himself. I stood on the windowsill as he began unwrapping it from around his body. I pricked my ears, listening, as I heard someone coming down the hallway. They were heavy footsteps, not Justin's. _Let's go_! I screamed at him. He looked up at a knock sounded at the door.

I jumped out the window, landing with a soft_ thump_ on the forest floor below. James wasn't far behind as someone opened his bedroom door. "James?" I heard his father's voice, full of worry as he found his mauled son gone from his bedroom. We took off at a full sprint into the forest, leaving behind his life.

I lounged on a rock, the sun hot on my back as I watched James try and Shift. He always got caught between the two forms, but he was starting to get the hang of it. His fur was a deep mahogany and he had darker fur around his face. He looked even bigger than me, even though males almost always bigger than females.

_Concentrate on the Shift. Think Shift_. I told him silently. I couldn't deal with seeing his naked body anymore. I snorted to myself. He looked at me with those hazel eyes as they melted into blue ones. His back arched as he Shifted, finally taking full form of his wolf. He lifted his head triumphantly, his eyes sparkling. I barked at him, smiling a wolfy smile.

He snorted, shaking his head. He grumbled, _what _are _you doing_? I barked at him, jumping off the rock, standing in front of him. I nudged him with my head, urging him to follow me. I turned tail and ran off into the woods, full speed.

I could hear him behind me, running. He was good at keeping up, but a scent on the wind stopped me. I sniffed, my nose high in the air. _Hunters_, I thought to myself. I turned as James came barreling through the undergrowth. I ran into him, tackling him to the ground.

_Hunters,_ I told him, _and they aren't very far away. I already got shot today and I don't plan on doing it again. _

_Okay, but I absolutely love this! Being in this form makes me giddy!_ He practically yelled in my mind.

_Giddy? Really James? That's the worst word ever_. I laughed internally, as he looked at me funny. _You really shouldn't look at me like that, it's very unattractive_. I got the air knocked out of me as he flipped me over, lying on my upturned belly. He growled at me playfully as we rolled all over the ground, wrestling.

I laughed at him in both our minds as he rolled into a puddle of mud. It matted his fur, making him look like a pup. He turned around, using his hind legs as slingshots as he flung mud at me. I yelped as a blob of it landed on my face. I lay down, pretending to be hurt.

He lay down in front of my face, sniffing at me. I snapped at him, jumping onto his back. He stood, looked over his shoulder at me, and then rolled. I saw my paws flailing as I tried to get back on my feet. As I finally stood, he was sitting, watching me.

I pricked my ears; _the hunters have moved on_, I told him, _we have to get going. I told my father I would be in Montana in three days and that was a day ago. _He nodded, following close behind as I started running again.

_I woke in a clearing, the sun hot on my face. I was in human form, but I was fully clothed in a red silk dress. Looking around, I heard the soft swoosh of water nearby. Making my way toward the sound, there was a rustling nearby. I pricked my human ears, listening as a wolf approached through the undergrowth. She was beautiful in a terrifying way. Her face was aged and battered. She had a scar running from the tip of her left ear to the edge of her right eye. I knew just by looking at her that she wasn't any ordinary werewolf. She was special. _

_I got down on my knees, extending a hand out to her. She sniffed at me tentatively taking a step. She barked and looked around, letting her ancient eyes rest on the stream running nearby. She pushed me with her muzzle, telling me to walk. I stood, making my way to the bank of the stream. I kneeled at the edge with the hem of my dress hanging in the water. My eyes widened as I smelled what I hadn't smelled before. It had a metallic tang. I sniffed again, finding the source. _

_My eyes widened as I watched. The red on my dress was fading as it washed into the stream. My dress was soaked in blood. It was turning a light pink as the red faded. This wasn't a naturally red dress. This dress was soaked in… Blood. I screamed as the stream began to run with blood, the stickiness was sickening. It churned my own blood. I shrieked as the blood welled around my knees. I tried to stand, but the blood just stuck to me. It dragged at me, pulling me down. _

I woke up screaming in the middle of the woods. I was completely naked, thanks to Shifting in the middle of the night. I looked around for James. He was watching me, but he was still in wolf form. He cocked his head to the side as a sob escaped my lips. I shook my head as I Shifted back. I crawled over to him, laying my head back on my paws, I fell asleep.


End file.
